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You May Call OK a Proper Mother-Ship for a Luxury Yacht, But It Is More Than That

While we have already seen some icebreakers or other types of vessels converted into luxurious expedition superyachts, this kind of transformation is unusual. The result is a vessel that can offer the biggest beach club in the middle of the sea.
OK Superyacht 8 photos
Photo: Timur Bozca/Instagram
OK SuperyachtOK SuperyachtOK SuperyachtOK SuperyachtOK SuperyachtOK SuperyachtOK Superyacht
What you see here is OK, the creation of the Turkish designer Timur Bozca, and it appears that his imagination has no boundaries. He started with a former 146-meter (479-ft) semi-submersible heavy lift ship built by Oshima Shipbuilding in Japan. After having served for more than three decades transporting oil platforms and drilling industry gear, the vessel was sent to Turkey for a complete makeover and it ended up being something that its builder never considered: a superyacht.

Timur Bozca saw in this old ship some features that make it different. For starters, it is a semi-submersible ship, which means that thanks to the water taken into its ballast tanks, part of the ship can sink. Moreover, its aft area can be lowered and allow a 46-meter (150-ft) ship to dock on its deck. A seaplane may also land on the water and cruise aboard. As strange as it may sound, on this vessel, it is possible. After loading, it can drain the ballast tanks and resume at a higher beam.

But it is not necessary to sink in order to load something on board. A 40-ton crane can lift a smaller luxury yacht and bring it up on the deck. Last but not least, a ramp at the rear part of the vessel may be lowered and allow cars to be driven right onto the 3,000 sqm (32,291 sqft) deck. Of course, if there is no load, that vast area may be arranged as a party zone, a sundeck, or even a tennis court at sea.

The interior went through a serious makeover. There is a swimming pool surrounded by glass windows, a botanical garden, and four aquariums. Despite the large size, the vessel can accommodate 20 guests in "maximum comfort," as Bozca says. Karmarine Shipyard transformed the former heavy-lift ship into this exquisite superyacht, which now ranks as the tenth longest yacht in the world.

This steel-on-steel vessel can navigate for long distances, but not that fast. Its maximum speed is 13 kn (15 mph/24 kph). But who cares? The voyage has to be, first of all, pleasant. And on that huge deck, the guests can even go car racing.

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About the author: Tudor Serban
Tudor Serban profile photo

Tudor started his automotive career in 1996, writing for a magazine while working on his journalism degree. From Pikes Peaks to the Moroccan desert to the Laguna Seca, he's seen and done it all.
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